His Substitute
by winterwood11
Summary: Lavender Brown's thoughts about Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger.


This was written for the Character Diversity Boot Camp, as well as for Lady's one hour challenge/Hardest Challenge Forever. It's a little rough, since it has not really been edited, but I hope you'll like it :)

* * *

_It's sad, oh there's been mornings_

_Out on the road without you  
Without your charms,  
Ooh, my, my, my_

* * *

Lavender Brown sat in front of the fire. She looked at the sparks that flew wildly from the flames and listened to the crackling sounds that emitted from it – it seemed just like old times when she was at home watching the fireplace in her room. She used to love it when she was young, thinking that it was a symbol of freedom and magic. Why? She did not really know. She just loved basking in the warmth that emanated from it, hearing the crackling sounds produced and watching the gentle glow of light.

But things had been different then, had it not? She was young, carefree and innocent in the past. Now, how was Lavender to be described? They told her she was pretty, sentimental and flirty – the opposite of Hermione Granger.

The name of Hermione Granger produced an acrid taste on her tongue. Everything had changed in her desirable life because of _her_. Hermione had stolen _him_ from her. What did Ron see in that prude?!

He loved her, didn't he? They had kissed so many times… But then and again, they had hardly _talked_. It had just been snogging. He had never called her Lavender; it had always been pet names like 'sweetheart', 'baby', 'dear'… The closest to which he had ever called her name was 'Lav-lav."

Lavender was all for pet names. She thought they were immensely cute and was pleased that he had thought of them for her. But, it was little too much to not have called her by her name _once_. It made her feel as if she was a _second choice _– and after Hermione Granger, of all people. Hermione was a nice person, if not too studious.

She thought that Ron needed someone more _similar _to him. Did he not want someone who could laugh with him, and go along with his antics? Surely she was a better kisser than Hermione too. He had enjoyed the kisses – otherwise they would not have kissed so much. He had been_ enjoying_ them.

But things had definitely cooled down much more after the Christmas holidays. When won-won was poisoned, no one had told her! And that was even worse when Ron himself ignored her and feigned sleep, each time she went to visit him. She knew that he was acting, because she had _seen_ Ron making Hermione laugh after an animated little speech when she was about to visit him in the hospital wing.

It had been clear from then that Lavender had been a _substitute_ for Hermione, and now that he could have Hermione… she had been pushed to the side. They had not officially parted their ways by breaking up, but it was obvious. She was being ignored by Ron. He no longer regarded her as his sweetheart and his girlfriend.

The thought of being a_ substitute_ angered her. There were so many people that _wanted_ Lavender as their girlfriend. Why should she waste any more time on Ron, when someone else who would treasure her would gladly have her?

Perhaps, it was time to tell Ron, that she was no longer interested in him. But, that would be a _lie_. She was interested – far too interested. She thought that she _loved_ him. But, he did not. Should she just give up, and let Hermione win this battle? The thought of it did not please her at the least. In fact, she felt like crying just thinking about it.

It would mean admitting that she was second-best to Hermione at something, other than grades. It would mean losing her won-won to her.

* * *

Speak of the devil, Lavender watched in horror as Hermione and Ron came into the common room, _together, _laughing and talking.

That was the last straw for Lavender. She stood up and glared at Ron, as the two got a hint of what was coming next.

"I'm going up to bed," Hermione announced, glancing from Ron to Lavender.

"Um, hello dear," he said lamely, after Hermione had gone up to the dormitories.

"Ron, I thought that you told me you were going out! What were you doing alone with Hermione Granger!?" She yelled, waving her hand toward the steps that Hermione had just went up.

"I – I'm sorry ok," he paused, "It was nothing really, just a harmless chat. Hermione's my friend, it's not as if you're more important."

Ron turned slightly red as he realised how poisonous the words must have sounded. Her lips quivered for a second, and tears sprung into Lavender's eyes as she stared at him, hurt.

"I know, I know, I'm not as important as Hermione Granger," She shrieked, "Just go and be with Hermione then, forget all about me! _We_ never existed, all right?"

He only looked marginally guilty as she stormed off, without turning back once.

* * *

Lavender stalked back into her bed as she let the tears flow freely down her face. She drew the curtains around her bed noisily and continued to weep.

He had not even _tried _to keep her with him. He had just stood there silently when she broke up with him. He did not even _care_, did he? Perhaps, he was even happy, now that he could be with his favourite, Hermione Granger!

How could he have been so merciless, as to lead her on and then drop her at the first chance he had? And he had not even done it gently, explaining to her why this could not go on any longer. It would still have hurt her, but it would have been _better_. What he had done, it had the same effect of dropping her on the parapet with a resounding crash.

Now, she knew how it felt. In the past, it had always been_ her_ giving someone a heart break. But now, she knew just how cruel it felt. Perhaps, heaven was giving her a taste of her own medicine.

She was shell-shocked, in a sense. She felt as if there was an empty void in her heart, as well as a bitter pang of sadness. She would be going on to the road of life without Ron, who she believed was the one person that she truly came close to loving. She would miss the charming way he told his jokes, and the way his laughs sounded…

Well, they were all gone, Lavender thought cynically. Her role as a substitute had come to an end.

* * *

Please Review :)


End file.
